Re-Animator is a movie that changed my life.

I’m serious; Stuart Gordon’s film which has become a cult classic is one of my favorite horror films, ranking in right after my all time favorite zombie epic, Day of the Dead. Re-Animator though is a one of those rare gems that has become influential in the horror genre, and a film that not only has many memorable quotes and scenes, it’s one that just about anyone can enjoy. Somewhere along the line Anchor Bay managed to negotiate yet another release of the film, and while you may be under the impression that you already own it, why buy the movie again, that might not be the correct manner of thought.

Our original review of Re-Animator got lost somewhere in a site transition, so it’s high time to cover it again, just in case you don’t already know the premise behind the movie. Re-Animator is based on H.P. Lovecraft’s serialized story Herbert West – Reanimator, a six-part tale that first appeared in Home Brew, an amateur magazine that was published by Lovecraft’s friend, George Julian Houtain. The time period however was changed from 1922 to the then current time frame of the mid-1980’s. Herbert West (played magnificently by Jeffery Combs) has been experimenting with the means to bring the dead back to life and he’s unfortunately been expelled from the Zurich University Institute of Medicine for dabbling in his art. He’s now come to New England and enrolled at Miskatonic University to continue his studies and research.

West ends up renting a room from fellow classmate Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) but his secret is soon discovered after he reanimates Cain’s dead cat. While Dan is enthralled at the possibly that the serum holds, his girlfriend Megan (Barbara Crampton) also learns about the experiments and it isn’t something that’s going to be easy to keep to herself considering her father is the dean. But, dad soon is killed when he interrupts one of West’s important experiments and is then brought back to life. Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale) also learns what West is up to and tries to take the formula for himself before West ends up killing him and taking his experiments to another level.

Re-Animator is a zombie film, but it’s much more than just the living dead attacking the living. There are many moments in the film that are seeped in black comedy just as much as they are in blood and gore. Some of this is with things present in the background on the film, other times its just the dialog. Re-Animator however isn’t a movie that’s filled with bad lines, but ones that are just funny and for some of us long time fans, they’ve become so engrained in your subconscious they just happen to be used quite often. One of my favorites being West’s “what would a note say” delivery, and Combs is really what makes the character. West is a genius, and the way Jeffery Combs portrays the character gives him a sort of maniacal, obsessive approach that has not only made the film one that has been long remember, but Herbert West is one of the well-remembered horror icons, easily being able to stand alongside others like Jason, Freddy, and Ash.

The film is also one of those rare horror films that uses pacing exactly the way that it should. There’s really not a slow moment in the film, and if you’re not being visually assaulted with blood and guts, you’re getting a few laughs or your getting more character information and background. Re-Animator is a film where the script is pure gold and done to such a caliber that even the slightest change would utterly ruin the complexity that the film has with it. This is also a horror film that doesn’t include your usual collection of dumb teenagers who meet their demise, but instead a smart, comedic zombie film that has a reasoning behind the undead returning to life. It’s not some radiation that’s been set loose into the population, not a chemical of unknown origin, but instead one man and his obsession to conquer death, and I think this is something that everyone really does strive for. That’s what medicine is based on and Lovecraft really was ahead of his time in penning this tale. It’s another variation on the Frankenstein theme, and one that is thought out perfectly.

When you have a film such as Re-Animator that has become on icon, adding just the right bonus material is an important part of the DVD release process. Anchor Bay includes all of what Elite had in their millennium edition release of the film. The movie itself includes two different commentary tracks, the first being with Stuart Gordon, the second comprised of Brian Yuzna, Bruce Abbott, Jeffery Combs, Barbra Crampton and Robert Sampson. You have to respect the fact the while someone like Combs has become an icon in other entertainment, having appearance many times on various Star Trek series’,  he’s still willing to come back and talk about the movie that really made him a star in the minds of B-movie fans worldwide.

Anchor Bay however has included something a little more, and this you will find on the second DVD. You may think that you know everything there is to know about Re-Animator, but the new, 70-minute documentary, Re-Animator Resurrectus may prove you wrong. This doesn’t just include interview with the cast and crew of the film, but it looks at the beginnings of what would become a masterpiece as well as how Stuart Gordon managed to create something that would become a legend. Better a film of this degree than a PBS mini-series, and that was originally the intention, but that didn’t work out, and that’s been fantastic for horror fans across the globe.

The second disc also includes other extras seen on the Elite version. Richard Band discusses the music from the film and there is also a segment where he talks about the music and then you are given the audio minus dialog and sound to fully enjoy the piece. There is a Re-Animator soundtrack out there, but it’s not something that is easily found in most record shops, so being able to hear even a little is quite a treat. There are interviews as well with Gordon, Yuzna, Fangoria editor Tony Trimpone and screenwriter Dennis Paoli. There is also a storyboard gallery, a collection of stills from the film (including some behind-the-scenes shots), TV spots and theatrical trailers, a deleted scenes (the dream sequence) and extended scenes. DVD-ROM owners can also take a look not just at Lovecraft’s original story but also the screenplay. The only disappointment that I have is that once again, we find that the extended scenes haven’t been edited back into Re-Animator to make the definitive version of the film. I suppose that in order to make up for this and that is why Anchor Bay has included one more little goodie. Where else will you find a neon green highlighter, shaped as a syringe with the Re-Animator logo on it? Only here and it’s a nice added bonus.

Perhaps you already own Re-Animator on DVD, maybe you don’t, but either way, grabbing this edition is quite a wise investment. The movie itself is a classic, but the new bonus feature and the bonus highlighter really makes it a disc worth adding to your collection, and if you have a good head on your shoulders (doesn’t matter about the one on your desk) you’ll be buying it immediately. Death really is only the beginning, and it will be quickly followed by laughter and gore.

-mike-